Compare towns
Gorham vs Bar Harbor vs Saco
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gorham has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Bar Harbor has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Saco has the most affordable homes ($413k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Gorham | Bar Harbor | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,300 |
5,244Lowest |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
49.2±5.9Highest 10% above ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
| Bar Harbor and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3% ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gorham and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $460,900±$26k 55% above ME |
$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME |
$413,100±$17kLowest 39% above ME |
| Bar Harbor and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,106±$351Lowest about the ME average |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
| Gorham and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$4,279Lowest 41% above ME |
$4,807 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.5% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 10% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bar Harbor and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #24 of 133 in ME | #2 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Gorham Public Schools | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gorham High School | Mt Desert Island High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
8.2Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.